Dr. Thanka Rajan, an accomplished material scientist from India, has joined Masaryk University’s PVDLab as a Postdoctoral Researcher under the COLOSSE project. With over a decade of expertise in thin film technologies for biomedical, catalytic, and sustainable energy applications, he now focuses on pioneering high-entropy coatings to advance next-generation energy solutions.
Dr. Thanka Rajan, a materials scientist from Kanyakumari, India, joins the PVDLab at the Deposition of Thin Films and Nanostructures research group at the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology and CEPLANT at Masaryk University as a Postdoctoral Researcher. He brings over a decade of experience in thin film deposition, surface modification, and materials characterization, with applications spanning biomedical engineering, catalysis, and sustainable energy technologies.
Dr. Thanka Rajan earned his Ph.D. in Physics (2019) from the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR – Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), India, where he focused on the fabrication and study of thin film metallic glasses for bioimplant applications. His early research on Zr-, and Ti-based metallic glasses contributed significantly to the understanding of biocompatible coatings for implants.
Before joining Masaryk University, he served as an Assistant Professor (Senior Grade) at Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai, and as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Project Officer at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT), where his work advanced thin film technologies for photocatalysis and biomedical coatings. He has also contributed extensively to Indo-Japan collaborative research programs on biomaterials and implant surface modification.
Over the years, Dr. Thanka Rajan has authored over 32 international journal papers (cumulative impact factor >149, h-index 17), and holds two granted patents in the areas of biodegradable amorphous alloy thin films and solar-driven photocatalysts. His research excellence has been recognized through multiple national and international awards, including Best Paper and Best Oral Presentation honors.
As part of the COLOSSE project, he now works with Assoc. Prof. Pavel Souček. His research in Brno focuses on developing high-entropy thin films using magnetron sputtering and other physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques. He aims to elucidate the relationships between composition, microstructure, and functional performance in advanced coatings. His investigations begin with fundamental studies on high-entropy systems, with future applications envisioned in energy storage and green hydrogen production.
To COLOSSE he was drawn by its interdisciplinary approach and commitment to advancing materials science for a sustainable future. He values the opportunity to collaborate with European experts and contribute to a vibrant international research community. Through his work, he aspires to bridge the gap between fundamental thin film research and real-world energy solutions.
COLOSSE – the Central European Platform for Plasma-enabled Surface Engineering – is an ambitious collaboration launched in 2024 (read here for more). It brings together top research teams from Masaryk University, Comenius University, and the University of West Bohemia to explore cutting-edge plasma technologies for advanced surface engineering. The goal? To connect Czech and Slovak expertise with world-leading research centers, open doors for international talent, and build skills that spark creativity and cross-disciplinary innovation. By combining resources from European programs like ERDF and Horizon Europe, COLOSSE is laying the foundation for sustainable partnerships and groundbreaking discoveries that will shape the future of materials science.
From October 13–17, 2025, the prestigious 78th Gaseous Electronics Conference (GEC) in Seoul brought together global experts in low-temperature plasma science. Dr. Martina Mrkvičková from CEPLANT and Masaryk University presented her research on enhancing laser-induced fluorescence diagnostics for atomizers used in trace element analysis, offering solutions to challenges like signal saturation and beam attenuation.
On October 14, 2025, Jianyu Feng successfully defended his doctoral thesis focused on surface modification of complex materials using thermally non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas. His research, conducted at CEPLANT and the Plasma Nanotechnologies and Bioapplications group at DPPT under the supervision of Dr. Richard Krumpolec, marks a significant contribution to the field of plasma nanotechnology.
